Downtown Wichita winery is expanding its space and now offers food with its drink
The owner of a downtown winery that opened just before the pandemic has just signed a lease that will allow her to expand her space at Wichita’s Union Station and give her the ability to double seat, extend hours and eventually add lunch.
Jenny Dawn Cellars, the “urban winery” that Jennifer McDonald opened in the back area of Union Station in December 2019, will take over a 1,500 square-foot space directly to its north. By early 2022, McDonald said, she’ll have moved much of her wine-making equipment — which now takes up space in her tasting room — to the spot next door. She’s aiming for February.
That will allow her to double the seating in her now-tight tasting room, and once the move is done, McDonald said, she’d like to add lunch to her list of offerings. She just hired a new chef — Kathrine Boston — who has put together a menu of flatbreads, sandwiches, salads, small bites and desserts that the winery’s patrons can now enjoy with their wine. When the expansion is done, McDonald said, she’ll add more items to that menu.
“We never want to be a full restaurant: Our focus is always going to be on wine and wine education,” McDonald said. “But food and wine pairings truly increase the experience of the enjoyment of the wine, and we definitely want to have great pairings.”
McDonald said she’ll likely keep the wine tanks in the main space but will move her bottling, filtering and sweetening operations next door. McDonald now makes 11 types of wine using both California and Kansas grapes and she’s about to add three more varieties.
Until the expansion is done, Jenny Dawn Cellars will keep its current hours: 1 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, 2 to 10 pm. Thursdays and 2 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Once the new space is ready, McDonald said, she’d like to add Monday and Tuesday hours.
The pandemic impacted the winery like it did all other food and drink businesses, McDonald said, but now she’s finding her audience. People have been showing up for the winery’s Friday and Saturday night live jazz shows and taking advantage of the wine education classes McDonald frequently offers. She’s also getting customers from places like Kansas City, St. Louis and Oklahoma City.
“Now I feel like we are finally hitting our full stride, and I’m excited,” she said.
Chis Harmon with Occidental Management handled the lease for the new space.
To find Jenny Dawn Cellars, whose address is 703 E. Douglas, turn south onto Mead Street from Douglas and continue south until you see the space on the right.
This story was originally published June 18, 2021 at 10:52 AM.
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